Calibrachoa plant named &#39;KLECA14263&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Calibrachoa  plant particularly distinguished by having pink flowers with a red-purple eye and a semi-upright form and plant habit, is disclosed.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Calibrachoa sp.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘KLECA14263’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Calibrachoa, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp., and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘KLECA14263’. ‘KLECA14263’ originated from a controlled-cross between the female Calibrachoa variety ‘KLECA10216’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,893) and the proprietary male Calibrachoa variety ‘J 904’ (unpatented).

In May 2010, two Calibrachoa parental lines, the female variety ‘KLECA10216’ and the male Calibrachoa variety ‘J 904’ were crossed via a controlled cross in Stuttgart, Germany and seeds were obtained. The seeds were sown and plants were grown for evaluation. A plant line was selected in May 2011, having pink flowers with a red-purple eye and subsequently named ‘KLECA14263’. In May 2011, ‘KLECA14263’ was first vegetatively propagated by vegetative tip cuttings in Stuttgart, Germany. ‘KLECA14263’ was found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation via tip cuttings.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Stuttgart, Germany.

1. Pink flowers with a red-purple eye; and

2. A semi-upright form and plant habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new Calibrachoa plant is illustrated by the accompanying photograph which shows flowers grown in a pot. The photograph is of a four-month-old plant grown outdoors in Stuttgart, Germany in July 2014. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘KLECA14263’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Stuttgart, Germany. Data was collected on eleven-week-old plants grown in Stuttgart, Germany in May 2014. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 5^(th) edition (2007).

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Solanaceae.         -   Species.—Calibrachoa sp.         -   Common name.—Calibrachoa.         -   Parentage.—Female: The female Calibrachoa ‘KLECA10216’ (U.S.             Plant Pat. No. 22,893) Male: Proprietary male Calibrachoa ‘J             904’ (unpatented). -   Plant description:     -   -   Life cycle.—Annual.         -   Form.—Semi-upright.         -   Habit.—Semi-upright.         -   Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—5.0 cm.         -   Spread.—23.0 cm. -   Propagation: Vegetatively propagated     -   -   Type cuttings.—Tip cuttings.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—3 weeks. -   Stems:     -   -   Stem color.—RHS 138B.         -   Pubescence.—Absent.         -   Stem description.—Stem diameter: 0.1 cm (stem diameter             including side shoots: 6.0 cm) Stem length: 11.0 cm From             soil line to first node: 1.5 cm Total length: 12.0 cm             Internode length: 1.6 cm. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple, sessile.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Obtuse to slightly acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Surface.—Smooth.         -   Surface pubescence.—Absent.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 144A Lower surface: RHS             145A.         -   Length.—2.5 cm.         -   Width.—0.7 cm.         -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS N138A Lower surface: RHS 138B.         -   Fragrance.—Absent. -   Flowers: Single flowers     -   -   Flowering habit.—Flower attitude erect, single, axillary.         -   Flower type.—Determinate inflorescence.         -   Flowering requirements.—A minimum of light sun is required.         -   Duration of flowers.—7 days.         -   Corolla.—Smooth texture.         -   Shape.—Trumpet shaped.         -   Fragrance.—Absent. -   Flower buds:     -   -   Surface.—Smooth.         -   Length.—1.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Iregular to oblong.         -   Color.—RHS N11B and RHS 59A. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—2.2 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 144C.         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Anthocyanin color.—RHS N77A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower depth.—3.0 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—1.8 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—0.7 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—3.4 cm.         -   Pedicel color.—RHS 144C.         -   Calyx.—Funnel-shaped. -   Sepals:     -   -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Length.—1.4 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Sepal color.—Upper and lower surfaces: RHS 143A. -   Petals:     -   -   Shape.—Heart-shaped.         -   Length.—1.2 cm.         -   Apex.—Obverse.         -   Margin.—Entire, weak undulation.         -   Base.—Open and fused in the tube.         -   Pubescence.—Absent.         -   Lobe length.—0.9 cm.         -   Lobe width.—1.5 cm.         -   Color.—Lobe color: Upper surface: RHS 75C Lower surface: RHS             75D Corolla tube color: Inner: RHS 71A Outer: RHS 177D.         -   Fragrance.—Absent. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamen number.—5.         -   Stamen color.—Anther color: RHS 21 A Filament color: RHS 1B             Pollen color: RHS 21 A.         -   Ovary.—Placenta arrangement: Ovate Pistil number: 1Pistil             length: 0.1 cm Stigma color: RHS 144B Style length: 1.1 cm             Style color: RHS 144D. -   Fruit/seed set: Little -   Disease/insect resistance: None observed

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘KLECA14263’ is distinguished from its parents as described in Table 1:

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Variety Female parent Male Parent Trait ‘KLECA14263’ ‘KLECA10216’ ‘J 904’ Flower color RHS 75C and RHS 75C and RHS 69C and RHS 71A RHS 61B RHS 55A

‘KLECA14263’ is most similar to the commercial Calibrachoa plant named ‘KLECA10216’ (the female parent), U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,893, commercially known as MiniFamous Light Pink+Eye. Differences between the two varieties are described in Table 2:

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Variety Calibrachoa Trait ‘KLECA14263’ ‘KLECA10216’ Flower color RHS 75C and RHS 71A RHS 75C and RHS 61B Growing habit More compact, tight More vigorous than than ‘KLECA10216’ ‘KLECA14263’ 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Calibrachoa plant named ‘KLECA14263’ as shown and described herein. 